Eagles back on top in SMCA

David Braithwaite

MAFFRA returned to the top of the Sale-Maffra cricket ladder after a day where players had to battle the elements.

Play on Saturday began in heat, and ended in rain.

Entering the day’s play as one of three teams level on points at the top of the table, Maffra skipped a win ahead with victory over Collegians.

After bowling Collegians out for 90, Maffra chased down a rain-reduced target with two wickets in hand.

The Maffra slow bowlers used the conditions well, restricting the home side’s run rate following a promising start.

After Jayden Allison was caught on the second ball of the innings, Jed Malone and Isaac Love appeared to get Collegians back on track.

However, when Love was stumped by Brett Lanigan off David Griffiths’ bowling for 33 in the 11th over, the home side was 2-45. Not long after, Malone was trapped leg before wicket by Josh Davis for 11.

Charlie Morrison scored 19, but no other Collegians batsmen reached double figures as the side was bowled out in the 34th over.

Ben Durrant ripped through the middle order on his way to figures of 4-17, Davis claimed 3-25, while Griffiths bowled a miserly 2-9 from his eight overs.

Maffra finished on 8-66 in 16 overs, an innings dominated by Daniel Bedggood, who clobbered 45 runs from 27 balls faced, including four fours and two sixes. Bedggood was the only Maffra batsman to reach double figures.

In the chase for quick runs before rain ended their chance of victory, Collegians claimed wickets at regular intervals.

The Eagles were 3-13 at one point after Mark Nicholls took the first three wickets. Nicholls finished with 3-22.

The first of Tom Morrison’s three overs was affected, claiming the wickets of Bedggood, Lee Hopkins and Copper Bailey to have the visitors 6-60. Morrison finished with 3-4.

Mitch Bennett and Nathan Magnuson saw the Eagles over the line.

The result saw Collegians fall from top spot to third place.

STRATFORD moved from fourth to second, ahead of Collegians and Sale on net run rate, after defeating Longford at Stephenson Park.

The Redbacks scored 7-204 from their 40 overs before bowling the Lizards out for 155.

The Redbacks lost 3-7 to be 4-74, when Ben Channing came into bat. Channing ensured the visitors posted a big target, finishing unbeaten on 61.

Channing and Ethan Albrecht (38) combined for an unbeaten eighth wicket partnership of 96.

Austin Bauer was the best of the Longford bowlers, taking 3-33.

Kerrod Macgregor-Davies was the mainstay of the Longford winnings, scoring 53. Macgregor-Davies and Sam Smith (34) put on 62 runs for the fifth wicket.

Coen Durbridge scored 21 as the Lizards were bowled out in 36 overs, while Sam Anstee took 3-34 for the Redbacks.

ROSEDALE-Kilmany recorded its second win of the season, and in the process dented Sale’s hopes of a home semi-final.

While the result effectively ensured the Warriors won’t finish the season with the wooden spoon, the Swans are now in fourth place, a win ahead of Boisdale-Briagolong in fifth.

A good start helped RK post 7-157. Brad Scott (47) and Josh Carter (26) scored 70 for the opening wicket.

After the openers were dismissed in within the space of seven runs, Rohan Diamond (36) and Cameron Freshwater (25) combined for a 50-run stand to help the Warriors to a competitive total.

As well as running out Carter, Ben Jones claimed the wickets of Diamond and Freshwater on his way to 3-39.

After being 2-68, Sale collapsed to be all out for 95.

Hayden Glover (25), Rohan Blandford (21) and Daniel Padula (19) got the Swans away to a good start, but the home side was pegged back by Diamond (4-14), Owen Johnstone (3-11) and Ben Fleming (3-21).

ARGUABLY the biggest winner of the day was Boisdale-Briagolong, which defeated Bundalaguah at home to stay six points outside the top four.

Both sides entered the match level on points, with the loser finding it harder to make up ground on the top four with two rounds to play.

The Saints scored 7-228 from their 40 overs, with Dylan Bolton top-scoring with 42 from 35 balls. Bolton and Lash (40 from 29) combined for a sixth wicket partnership of 58.

Todd Mann (48) and Steve Noble (34) began the flow of runs with a 67-run second wicket partnership.

Nathan Whitford and Jake Wynd were Bundalaguah’s multiple wicket-takers, each claiming two.

Bundalaguah batted for 34 overs, finishing on 9-171.

Bundalaguah was in early trouble, falling to 4-3, with former Bull Mark Donald taking two of the wickets.

Sam Bedggood and Toby O’Reilly took the score to 98 when the former was dismissed for 38, the first of Louis Howard’s four wickets.

O’Reilly and Wynd added 35 to the scoreboard before Wynd was dismissed for 29. When O’Reilly was caught off Howard’s bowling for 77, the Bulls where 8-165 with victory out of reach.

Howard finished with 4-37 and Donald 3-34.